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Syllabus (Version 1)1
April 11, 2011
PHIL 340 Ethics (49414R)
VKC 207
3:30 – 4:45 MW
Professor John Dreher
Office: MHP 211
x05173
[email protected]
Hours: Mon Aug 22 – Wed Nov 30
Mon 10:30 - 11:30
Wed 9:30 – 10:30
Review for Final Examination
Fri Dec 9: 10:00 – 12:00
Last Minute Review for Final Examination:
Mon Dec 12: 12:00 – 1:30
Final Examination
Mon Dec 12: 2:00 – 4:00
MATERIALS:
1. Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, second edition, Irwin, trans, Hackett, paper,
ISBN: 9780872204645 (NE) [Books I,II,III, pp. 1 – 48]
2. Foot, Virtues and Vices and Other Essays in Moral Philosophy, Clarendon Press, Oxford, paper,
ISBN: 0199252866 (V&V) [ Essay I, pp. 1 – 18; Essay VI pp. 81-95, Essay XI, pp. 157 – 73]
3. Kant, Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals, Ellington, trans, Hackett, paper,
ISBN: 978087220166-8 (GMM) [entirety, pp. 1 – 67]
4. Williams, Moral Luck, Cambridge, paper ISBN: 9780521286916 (ML) [Essay 1, pp. 1 – 20,
Essay 2, pp. 20 – 39, Essay 3, 40 – 53; Essay 11, pp. 132 - 143]
5. Benthan and Mill, The Classical Utilitarians, Hackett, paper ISBN 9780872208094 (CU)
[Utilitarianism, pp. 95 – 147]
6. Nietzsche, On the Genealogy of Morals, Clark and Swenson, trans, Hackett, paper,
ISBN: 9780872202832 (GM) [entirety, pp. 1 – 118]
7. Williams, Truth and Truthfulness, Princeton, paper ISBN: 9781400825141 (T&T)
[pp. 1 – 205]
8. Harman and Thomson, Moral Relativism and Moral Objectivity, Blackwell, ISBN: 0631192115
(MRMO) [entirety, pp. 1 – 217]
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This version of the syllabus is subject to change before the beginning of classes. Also, the schedule of
lectures, although firm, may be varied somewhat to accommodate interests as they arise.
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DESCRIPTION: This course is an introduction to ethics, approached from the
perspective of Anglo-American analytic philosophy. The course seeks to introduce the
main current in Western ethical thought, via the works of Aristotle, Kant, and Mill,
which are classical works pertaining to the distinctions between good and evil, right and
wrong, virtue and vice. These three philosophers offer significantly different
approaches to ethics, but they all concern themselves with the main distinctions of
ethics. Aristotle locates the ethical in the rational nature of human beings, arguing that
the moral goodness is the end of the rational activity of the soul in accordance with
moral virtue. Kant disagrees, insisting that the good will chooses the right because it is
right, where what is right conforms to ‘imperatives’ that are validated by a priori
rational principles. Mill departs from both Aristotle and Kant, insisting that the
overarching moral principle is to maximize goodness across the moral population, where
goodness is broadly defined to be pleasure, which is principally the reduction and
elimination of pain.
By the end of the nineteenth century considerable doubt had arisen about the
traditional ways of drawing the main distinctions of ethics. Indeed, Nietzsche’s
philosophy profoundly undermined confidence in the possibility of discovering any
moral truths. In the twentieth century those doubts took form as three disagreements:
between realism and anti-realism; between cognitivism and noncognitivism, and
between relativism and objectivism. We might say, broadly, that realist theories affirm
the idea that there are moral truths and that it is possible to know what they are. Thus,
Aristotle, Kant and Mill are all realists. Anti-realists, on the other hand, deny that there
are moral truths, and on at least on plausible reading, Nietzsche is an anti-realist.
Noncognitivists deny not only that there are moral truths, but even that there are
genuine moral assertions. Finally relativists agree that there are moral truths but deny
that they are universal or culturally invariant. They insist that moral truth is
conventional.
PHIL 340 is meant to be preparation for more advanced courses in ethics, including
PHIL 440, Contemporary Ethical Theory, and PHIL 442, History of Ethics to 1900 and PHIL
443, Value theory.
Requirements: There will be two midterm examinations, which will test for
knowledge of the reading assignments as well as expository and supplementary
information delivered during class. The midterm examinations will emphasize the
assigned philosophical texts. There will also be a final examination. The first part of the
final examination will test for knowledge of the reading assignments as well as
expository and supplementary information delivered during class sessions following the
second midterm examination. The second part of the final examination will be a
comprehensive question dealing with the main theme of the course. The comprehensive
question will be discussed towards the end of the semester. Class attendance is very
strongly recommended. If you must miss a class, please make arrangements to share
notes with a classmate.
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There will be one short paper, approximately five to ten pages (1500 – 3000 words).
All papers should be submitted as hard copies in lecture on the due date and
electronically via Blackboard before lecture on the due date.
Paper Topic: Explain the distinction between teleological and deontological ethical
theories, illustrating the distinction by reference to Aristotle and to Kant. Identify the
principal challenges faced by each of the theories. How do Aristotle and Kant attempt
to deal with the challenges of their respective theories? Is either successful?
Grades will be weighted as follows:
Midterm Exam #1 – 20%
Paper – 20%
Midterm Exam #2 – 20%
Final Exam: Part I – 20%
Final Exam: Part II – 20%
Grading scale:
94: A
90: A –
87: B +
84: B
80: B –
77: C+
And so forth.
Please remember that the University strictly prohibits plagiarism, which can be the
mere failure to acknowledge the work of another as well as the deliberate
misrepresentation of the work of another as your own. You must acknowledge your
indebtedness not only to the ideas of others but also to their words.
In general, excuses for late papers or missed examinations will be accepted only in
extraordinary circumstances, including illness or genuine family emergency. Requests
will be considered by the professor of the course in consultation with the reader.
Please remember that it is impossible accommodate a special request by a single
individual unless the same opportunity is extended to everyone in the class. This
makes it virtually impossible to accommodate extensions of due dates for reasons
other than indicated above.
SCHEDULE OF READINGS, ASSIGNMENTS AND EXAMINATIONS:
1. Mon, Aug 22: Introduction: What are the traditional problems of ethics and the
main strategies for dealing with those problems in Western philosophy? How does
twentieth century moral philosophy differ from preceding moral philosophies?
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2. Wed, Aug 24: Aristotle, NE, Book 1: Virtue and the rational activity of the soul;
virtue and the aim of human activity; happiness and virtue
3. Mon, Aug 29: Aristotle, NE, Book II: Acquisition of virtue; definition of virtue;
virtues of character; relations between mean and extremes
4. Wed, Aug 31: Aristotle, NE, Book III: Virtue and Choice; individual virtues of
character, especially courage and temperance
5. Mon, Sep 5: Labor Day.
6. Wed, Sep 7: Foot, V&V, Essay 1: Modern definition of virtue, virtue and the will,
virtue and inclination, How does virtue pay?
7. Mon, Sep 12: Kant, GMM, Preface, Section I; What is good in itself?
duty and virtue; duty and inclination
8. Wed, Sep 14: Kant, GMM. Section II, pp. 19 – 32; Distinction between
hypothetical and categorical imperatives, moral worth
9. Mon, Sep 19: Kant GMM: Section II, 33 – 48; Heteronomy and autonomy;
autonomy and the kingdom of ends
10. Wed, Sep 21: Kant GMM: Section III, pp. 49 – 62; Freedom and autonomy of
the will; the foundation of pure practical reason
11. Mon, Sep 26: Williams, ML, Essay 2, pp. 20 – 49; Is there moral luck? Does it
undermine the Kantian system of morality?
12. Wed, Sep 28: Foot, V&V, Essay XI, pp. 157 – 73; Morality as a System of
Hypothetical Imperatives
13. Mon, Oct 3. Review for Midterm Examination I
14. Wed, Oct 5: Midterm Examination I
15. Mon, Oct 10: Mill, CU, On Liberty, pp. 95 – 122; What is Utilitarianism? The
ultimate source of morality
16. Wed, Oct 12: Mill, CU, On Liberty, Sections IV and V, pp. 122 – 145 Justice and
utility; personal ethics and social ethics, utilitarianism and heroic ethics
17. Mon, Oct 17: Williams, Essay 1, pp. 1 – 19; The man who had one thought too
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many, impartial morality Essay 3, pp. 40 – 53. Bearing the consequences and
undoing the self
18. Wed, Oct 19: PAPER DUE
Nietzsche, GM, First Treatise, pp. 1 – 34, The origin of morality
19. Mon, Oct 24: Nietzsche, GM, Second Treatise, Third Treatise, pp. 35 – 118.
Bad Faith and bad conscience, authenticity, the will to power, the ascetic ideal
20. Wed, Oct 26: Foot, V&V, Essay VI, pp. 81 – 95; Revaluation of values
21. Mon, Oct 31: Review for Midterm 2
22. Wed, Nov 2: Midterm Examination 2
23. Mon, Nov 7: Harman and Thomson, MRMO, pp. 1 – 44; Moral Relativism,
Conventionalism and Moral Disagreement
24. Wed, Nov 9: Harman and Thomson, MRMO, pp. 45 – 94; Universality and the
problem of nonbelievers; moral skepticism
25. Mon, Nov 14: Harman and Thomson, MRMO, pp. 95 -154; Emotivism, the
possibility of moral objectivity
26. Wed, Nov 16: Harman and Thomson, MRMO, pp.157 – 217; Responses and
Conclusions; Williams, ML, pp. 132 – 143, The truth in relativism
27. Mon, Nov 21: Williams, T&T, pp. 1 – 83; Truth as a moral value
28. Wed, Nov 23: Williams, T&T, pp. 84 – 138; Accuracy and Sincerity
29. Mon, Nov 28: Williams T&T, pp. 149 – 205; Authenticity, (cf. Nietzsche)
30. Wed, Nov 30: Review for Final Examination, course evaluation